1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to socks.
2. Background Art
Generally, a sock is formed by using a circular knitting machine typified by a hosiery circular knitting machine such as a model K hosiery machine, and a range from a leg portion to a toe portion of a sock is knitted in a tubular form. Consequently, the leg and toe portions become bilaterally symmetrical and each of the instep and sole sides also becomes symmetrical. Therefore, the dimensions of the toe portion are determined by using, as a reference, a first toe portion which projects the most in the toe.
When the toe portion is formed as described above, however, since the fifth toe is shorter and thinner than the first toe of a human, slackness occurs on the fifth toe side of the toe portion.
There are socks in which the number of wales is adjusted so that the toe portion fits the plan-view shape of the toe, and the number of courses on the first toe side is increased as compared with the other portion so that the toe portion has thicknesses according to the lengths of the toes (see Japanese Patent No. 2895473 and Utility Model Registration No. 3070670). The toe portion of a sock as described in Japanese Patent No. 2895473 has a shape fit to the toe, so that improved fitness of the toe portion is realized.
The sock described in Japanese Patent No. 2895473, however, has a problem. Since a leg portion is bilaterally symmetrical and, moreover, each of an instep side and a sole side has a symmetrical shape, when the toe is largely bent in the vertical direction such as when the user kicks the ground with his/her toes, the sole portion is pulled to the toe side by the thenar portion.
In particular, the entire toe portion of the sock as described in Japanese Patent No. 2895473 fits the toe, so that the sole portion is strongly pulled to the toe portion side by the whole thenar portion. Consequently, the sock as described in Japanese Patent No. 2895473 has a problem that tightness tends to occur in the sole portion and foot comfort is poor. Further, when the sole portion is tightened, the leg portion is pulled to the sole side through the heel portion, so that the sock tends to slide down. Since the sole portion is pulled to the toe side, there is another problem that the sock is susceptible to damage.